Gillian M's 2008 Year/Photo List

[Gillian_M]

Once again my goal for 2008 is to take a quality photo of each species on my year list. While I have managed to photograph most of the birds that I have seen to date, some are of very poor quality, and are more for my records than anything else. And then there are a few birds which I haven't been able to photograph at all, such as the Upland Sandpiper which I've only seen once, through a spotting scope.

My goal in this thread, then, is to keep track of each species that I see this year, and to add photos or even video where possible.

Unless stated otherwise, all birds listed will have been seen in my home town of Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.

Any new lifers will be marked in bold.

[Gillian_M]

Seen January 1, 2008:

1. American Crow
2. Blue Jay
3. American Tree Sparrow
4. Black-capped Chickadee
5. Common Redpoll

Despite my intention to spend all morning birding, a winter storm with heavy snow prevented me from staying out for more than an hour. As a result, I only identified 7 species for my brand new year list on New Year's Day...less than half of what I achieved last year.

[Gillian_M]

Seen January 1, 2008:

6. Ruffed Grouse
7. Pileated Woodpecker

This grouse is very tame and even follows people around!

[Gillian_M]

Seen January 2, 2008:

8. Rock Pigeons
9. European Starling

These are the usual birds I see on my way to work every morning as well as downtown. You'd think that I'd be able to get a better picture of them!

Seen January 3, 2008:

10. Mallard

I went to a park along the Rideau River hoping to see some goldeneye or mergansers but only the usual mallards were present.

[Gillian_M]

Seen January 4, 2008:

11. Common Goldeneye
12. American Black Ducks

I went to a different section along the Rideau River yesterday at lunch and found some more ducks. Still no mergansers, however! I note this is the first time I've seen goldeneye out of the water...note the females on the ice at the right.

[Gillian_M]

Seen January 5, 2008:

13. Mourning Dove
14. Hairy Woodpecker
15. Downy Woodpecker
16. White-breasted nuthatch
17. Pine Grosbeak

[Gillian_M]

Seen January 5, 2008:

18. House Finch
19. House Sparrow
20. Northern Cardinal
21. Dark-eyed Junco
22. Brown Creeper

[Gillian_M]

Also seen January 5, 2008:

23. Townsend's Solitaire
24. Sharp-shinned Hawk

The Solitaire is very rare in Ottawa; luckily, it's been hanging out in the same juniper bush for a couple of weeks now. This is the best photo I've taken of it on three tries for this bird, though I'm still hoping to get one where the bird is actually in the juniper bush where it would be a lot closer to me. A sunny day would be nice for a change, too!

[Gillian_M]

Seen January 6, 2008:

25. Red-tailed Hawk
26. Northern Shrike
27. Rough-legged Hawk
28. Evening Grosbeak
29. American Goldfinch
30. Tufted Titmouse

I got my first lifer of the year on this excursion...the tufted titmouse has been visiting a feeder just east of Ottawa for a few weeks now. This is another rare bird for our city. Unfortunately, I wasn't able to photograph it. It would swoop in and land on the feeder briefly before disappearing into the trees with whatever it had taken, and I wasn't quick enough to capture it on the feeder!

[Gillian_M]

Also seen January 6, 2008:

31. Snowy Owl
32. Snow Buntings

These two species were seen east of the Ottawa area...so far east, that they are not within the local field-naturalists' club's study circle (which encompasses a 50-km radius from Parliament Hill's Peace Tower). So far, however, it's the only place where snowy owls have been reported this winter, and we saw three of them that day.

There was also a flock of about 400 snow buntings in the same area, and although we searched we couldn't find any other species such as horned larks or lapland longspurs mixed in.

[Gillian_M]

Seen January 10, 2008:

33. Hermit Thrush


Seen January 12, 2008:

34. Common Raven
35. Red-breasted nuthatch

There seem to be very few red-breasted nuthatches around this winter, and I am surprised I had to go searching for one for my 2008 list. Luckily I know of a trail near my house where one always comes to my hand with the chickadees, and he didn't disappoint me today!

[Gillian_M]

Seen January 16, 2008:

36. Common Merganser

Now all I need is one more bird and I'll have tied last January's number of species seen. That shouldn't be too difficult as I'm still missing some fairly common birds!

[Gillian_M]

Seen January 19, 2008:

37. Northern Mockingbird


I have now tied last year's total of birds seen in January. And the mockingbird isn't one of the common birds I still need!

[Gillian_M]

Seen January 20, 2008:

38. Great Black-backed Gull
39. Glaucous Gull

[Gillian_M]

Seen January 25, 2008:

40. Hoary Redpoll

(with a Common Redpoll for comparison)

[Gillian_M]

Seen January 27, 2008:

41. Bohemian Waxwing
42. Cedar Waxwing

Today I came across a large flock (>100) of waxwings feeding on common buckthorn berries and I was happily surprised to find that both species were present! Not only were they feeding, they were also bathing in a large puddle of open water. I took some video of the birds splashing about; you can hear them softly calling as well as a Pileated Woodpecker tapping in the background!

http://s271.photobucket.com/albums/jj127/Aegolius/Birds/Winter_Finches/?action=view&current=MudLake1090.flv

[Gillian_M]

Seen February 3, 2008:

43. Horned Lark

[Gillian_M]

Seen February 4, 2008:

44. Peregrine Falcon

Seen February 9, 2008:

45. Wild Turkey
46. American Robin

We usually have some robins that try to overwinter here every year. There were about a dozen at Mud Lake this morning feeding near a flock of Cedar Waxwings.

[Gillian_M]

Seen February 10, 2008:

47. Merlin

I wonder if this is a neighbourhood resident - I saw a merlin on the same road on Dec. 22 chasing a flock of finches. It didn't catch any, and landed nonchalantly on a different light standard. I saw this one while driving to a nearby conservation area, and stopped because it didn't look like a crow (which is what I was expecting it to be)!

[Gillian_M]

Seen February 17, 2008:

48. Canada Goose

I haven't seen any of these usually abundant geese since early December, before the deluge of snow, so I was surprised to find about half a dozen of them on an open area of the Rideau River while looking for gulls! (They were very far away, hence the poor quality of the photo.)

[Gillian_M]

Seen February 23, 2008:

49. Red-shouldered Hawk
50. Herring Gull

It only took me about 7 tries to find this uncommon hawk which is spending the winter here!

[Gillian_M]

Seen March 2, 2008:

51. Iceland Gull


Seen March 11, 2008:

52. Ring-billed Gull


Seen March 15, 2008:

53. Red-winged Blackbird

[Gillian_M]

Seen March 23, 2008:

54. Gray Partridge

[Gillian_M]

Seen March 27, 2008:

55. Common Grackle

Seen April 3, 2008:

56. Great Blue Heron
57. Turkey Vulture
58. Pied-billed Grebe

[Gillian_M]

Seen April 5, 2008:

59. Song Sparrow
60. Brown-headed Cowbird
61. Bufflehead
62. Golden-crowned Kinglet

[Gillian_M]

On April 6, 2008, the Ottawa Field-Naturalists' Club went to Presqu'ile Provincial Park for the day. This park is located on Lake Ontario, about a 3.5 hour's drive, and is an excellent stopover point and staging ground for migrants and waterfowl. I was able to add 13 birds to my year list, but as most of them were waterfowl and other water birds, and only within scope distance to boot, I did not manage to take very many photos.

Seen April 6, 2008:

63. Mute Swan
64. Greater Scaup
65. Redhead
66. Killdeer
67. Long-tailed Duck
68. Green-winged Teal
69. Double-crested Cormorant
70. Horned Grebe
71. Red-breasted Merganser
72. Hooded Merganser
73. American Coot
74. Canvasback
75. American Wigeon

[Gillian_M]

Seen April 13, 2008:

76. Belted Kingfisher
77. Yellow-bellied Sapsucker
78. Winter Wren
79. Ring-necked Duck

[Gillian_M]

Seen April 14, 2008:

80. Wood Duck
81. Tree Swallow

[Gillian_M]

Seen April 15, 2008:

82. Chipping Sparrow


Seen April 19, 2008:

83. Savannah Sparrow
84. Northern Pintail
85. Northern Shoveler
86. Blue-winged Teal
87. Greater Yellowlegs

[Gillian_M]

Seen April 19, 2008:

88. Northern Flicker
89. Northern Harrier
90. Eastern Bluebird
91. Sandhill Crane
92. Snow Goose (white morph)

[Gillian_M]

Another wonderful day filled with migrants! I spent some time at the Stony Swamp Conservation Area trail and added five new birds to my year list (and got my first decent photos of a Fox Sparrow!).

Seen April 20, 2008:

93. White-throated Sparrow
94. Eastern Phoebe
95. Fox Sparrow
96. Ruby-crowned Kinglet
97. Yellow-rumped Warbler

I actually had to leave when my camera batteries died. It figured as soon as they died, I had a Ruby-crowned Kinglet pose for me - it landed on a bare branch at eye level and stared at me for a moment. I was sooo disappointed that I wasn't able to capture it on camera. Then I felt sick when a Fox Sparrow hopped out into view, and a Yellow-bellied Sapsucker landed on a tree close by! Fortunately when I returned, the Fox Sparrows were in the same area but the kinglet was gone.

[Gillian_M]

Seen April 24, 2008:

98. Lesser Scaup

Seen April 27, 2008:

99. Purple Martin
100. Spotted Sandpiper
101. Palm Warbler
102. Pine Warbler
103. Brown Thrasher
104. Black-crowned Night Heron

Today was a gorgeous day with lots of great birds. It was good to see the Purple Martins back at the sanctuary on the Ottawa River, as well as the warblers back at Britannia. The Spotted Sandpiper was very skittish and kept flying off when we tried to get within camera range. The Night Heron was seen flying overhead, looking as though it were about to land somewhere in Mud Lake, but when we went to go look for it we wouldn't find it. We found lots of turtles instead, however! And finding a lifer as well today - not bad at all! :t:

I should also note that we heard two additional birds which we did not see: Yellow Warbler and Warbling Vireo.

[Gillian_M]

Seen May 1, 2008:

105. Yellow Warbler


Seen May 3, 2008:

106. Barn Swallow


Seen May 4, 2008:

107. Field Sparrow
108. Swamp Sparrow
109. White-crowned Sparrow

[Gillian_M]

Seen May 6, 2008:

110. Warbling Vireo

Lucky for me he was singing, otherwise I would probably wouldn't have seen him, nor be able to identify him!

[Gillian_M]

Seen May 8, 2008:

111. Green Heron
112. Blackburnian Warbler
113. Black-throated Green Warbler
114. Black-and-white Warbler

Yes, a pretty amazing day!

[Gillian_M]

Also seen May 8, 2008 (right near my house!):

115. Common Tern
116. Least Sandpiper

[Gillian_M]

Seen in Cambridge, ON on May 10, 2008:

117. Chimney Swift
118. Cliff Swallow

The Cliff Swallows were nesting right under one of the bridges that crosses the river...the birds in the nest were easier to photograph than the ones swooping over the water!

Seen at Rondeau Provincial Park on May 11, 2008:

119. Rose-breasted Grosbeak
120. American Redstart
121. Magnolia Warbler
122. Chestnut-sided Warbler

[Gillian_M]

Also seen at Rondeau on May 11, 2008:

123. Gray Catbird
124. Baltimore Oriole
125. Northern Parula
126. Veery
127. Ovenbird
128. Black-throated Blue Warbler
129. Lincoln's Sparrow
130. Red-bellied Woodpecker
131. Worm-eating Warbler
132. Red-headed Woodpecker

I'm a little peeved that I didn't get any photos of the two lifers I saw at Rondeau. However, it was pouring rain when I saw them and they were both on or near the ground, hopping amongst the vegetation and making a clear, unobstructed shot impossible. Since it was raining, I didn't even try to photograph them or most of the other birds that I saw. These photos were all taken elsewhere during my trip, when the weather improved.

[Gillian_M]

After spending several hours at Rondeau Provincial Park, we drove to Leamington and checked into our hotel. We were cold and sopping wet. The next morning, we drove to Point Pelee National Park. The weather started out drizzly, but fortunately it didn't rain very heavily, and it cleared up around lunchtime.

Seen May 12, 2008:

133. Bonaparte's Gull
134. Canada Warbler
135. Red-eyed Vireo
136. House Wren
137. Swainson's Thrush
138. Orchard Oriole

I only got one photo of the Canada Warbler. However, I saw two Orchard Orioles that day, and one of them decided to pose for me while foraging quite close to the ground!

[Gillian_M]

Also seen May 12, 2008 at Point Pelee:

139. Scarlet Tanager (female)
140. Nashville Warbler
141. Common Yellowthroat
142. Northern Rough-winged Swallow

I still have yet to see a male Scarlet Tanager...hopefully this week now that I'm back in Ottawa!

[Gillian_M]

Seen May 13, 2008 at Hillman's Marsh:

143. Semipalmated Plover
144. Short-billed Dowitcher
145. Black-bellied Plover
146. American Golden-Plover
147. Dunlin
148. Ruddy Duck

[Gillian_M]

Also seen May 13, 2008 at Hillman's Marsh:

149. Eastern Kingbird
150. Bald Eagle

Seen May 14 & 15, 2008 in Cambridge:

151. Great-crested Flycatcher
152. Osprey
153. Blue-gray Gnatcatcher
154. Indigo Bunting
155. Ruby-throated Hummingbird

I ended up with 7 lifers on my trip to southern Ontario....not too bad at all!

[Gillian_M]

Seen May 22, 2008:

156. Eastern Wood-Pewee

[Gillian_M]

Seen May 22, 2008:

157. Lesser Yellowlegs

Seen May 23, 2008:

158. Wood Thrush
159. Wilson's Phalarope

I was especially happy to find the Wood Thrush this morning after not seeing one at all in 2007. His beautiful song led me to him!

[Gillian_M]

Today I went to the grassy fields near the airport and was not disappointed.

Seen May 24, 2008:

160. Vesper Sparrow
161. Bobolink
162. Grasshopper Sparrow
163. Clay-colored Sparrow

Also seen were Song, Savannah, Chipping, White-crowned and Field Sparrows! I don't think I've ever seen 8 species of Sparrow before! Both the Grasshopper and Clay-colored Sparrow were unexpectedly approachable, resulting in my best photos to date of the Grasshopper Sparrow and great shots of the Clay-colored Sparrow - a lifer for me!

[Gillian_M]

Seen May 25, 2008:

164. Virginia Rail
165. Solitary Sandpiper
166. Purple Finch

[Gillian_M]

Seen June 1, 2008:

167. Blackpoll Warbler


Seen June 7, 2008:

168. Alder Flycatcher
169. Semipalmated Sandpiper


Seen June 12, 2008:

170. Least Flycatcher

[Gillian_M]

Seen June 15, 2008:

171. Eastern Meadowlark
172. Golden-winged Warbler
173. Wilson’s Snipe

I'm pleased to say that I finally took my first photo of an Eastern Meadowlark! Now I just have to get a little closer!

[Gillian_M]

Seen June 26, 2008:

174. Gadwall


Seen June 29, 2008:

175. American Bittern (briefly, in flight)

[Gillian_M]

Seen July 1, 2008:

176. Common Moorhen


Seen July 19, 2008:

177. Northern Waterthrush

[Gillian_M]

In the beginning of August we had two rarities in the same location here in Ottawa, the kittiwake and the pelican. I managed to see them both on the same day (August 12)! Both were found at a large quarry filled with water, private property which is inaccessible. Although the kittiwake gave excellent views as it flew past the gate from where we watched, the pelican stayed on an island quite far away. My attempt at digiscoping was not very successful, either. However, at least you can tell it's a pelican!

Seen August 6, 2008:

178. Black-legged Kittiwake


Seen August 12, 2008:

179. American White Pelican
180. Red-necked Phalarope

[Gillian_M]

I saw this bird gliding over a conservation area near the river yesterday evening. At first I thought it was a falcon. Then I saw the white patches and realized that the other swallows and cedar waxwings hawking for insects were not frightened away. Our field guide confirmed it as a Common Nighthawk...another lifer for me! They are very quick in the air, and this was the best photo I got.

181. Common Nighthawk

[Gillian_M]

Spending almost two weeks in Nova Scotia has done wonders for my year list (as well as my life list!)

Seen August 28, 2008 at Margaretville, NS:

182. Common Eider

Seen August 29, 2008 at Grand Pré, NS:

183. White-rumped Sandpiper
184. Ruddy Turnstone

[Gillian_M]

Seen August 29, 2008 at Scott's Bay, NS:

185. Red-necked Grebe
186. Common Loon
187. Sanderling

Seen August 30, 2008 at Margaretville, NS:

188. Red-throated Loon

The photo of the grebe is my attempt at digiscoping.

I also note that the Common Loon in the photo is a juvenile based on the partial collar around the neck and the white around the eye.

[Gillian_M]

We went on a whale-watching cruise on the Bay of Fundy from Brier Island. It was an awesome experience...both the birds and the whales were fantastic (though I couldn't get many good shots of the birds on a moving boat!)

Seen August 31, 2008:

189. Northern Gannet
190. Greater Shearwater
191. Sooty Shearwater
192. Atlantic Puffin
193. Red Phalarope
194. Pomarine Jaeger

Seen September 1, 2008 (also on Brier Island):

195. Buff-breasted Sandpiper

[Gillian_M]

Migration was well under way on Ottawa when I returned from Nova Scotia, so I visited a couple of the hot spots.

Seen September 5, 2008:

196. Tennessee Warbler
197. Pectoral Sandpiper
198. Baird's Sandpiper

[Gillian_M]

More migrants seen in Ottawa:

Seen September 7, 2008:

199. Red Knot

Seen September 10, 2008:

200. Stilt Sandpiper

(The Stilt is sandwiched between two Pectoral Sandpipers!)

Seen September 13, 2008:

201. Bay-breasted Warbler
202. Blue-headed Vireo
203. Philadelphia Vireo

I love this time of year!

[Gillian_M]

I've missed a couple birds so these two are out of order:

Seen August 30, 2008 (in Nova Scotia):

204. Bank Swallow


Seen September 5, 2008:

205. Lesser Black-backed Gull


Seen September 21, 2008:

206. American Kestrel

[Gillian_M]

Seen October 4, 2008:

207. Pine Siskin

This is a bird I've been wanting to see a while...though I would love to see a male with bright yellow on the sides.

[Gillian_M]

Seen October 5, 2008:

208. Gray Jay

I visited Algonquin Park today with a friend. While I'm disappointed that the only Algonquin speciality I was able to add to my year list is the Gray Jay, I am pleased with the photos I took - especially as I only managed to take two photos total last year, when it was a life bird. This time we saw seven Gray Jays and I managed to get photos of them all. The only other northern species we saw was a flock of Pine Grosbeaks.

[Gillian_M]

Seen October 18, 2008:

209. American Pipit

Seen October 19, 2008:

210. White-winged Scoter
211. Black Scoter

[Gillian_M]

Seen October 30, 2008:

212. Brant

[Gillian_M]

Seen November 22, 2008:

213. Cackling Goose

Seen November 28, 2008:

214. Barrow's Goldeneye

[Gillian_M]

Seen December 6, 2008:

215. White-winged Crossbills


Seen December 13, 2008:

216. Northern Hawk Owl

I wish I'd gotten better views (and better photos) of the crossbills, as they were a lifer for me. Hopefully I'll come across some more this winter!

[Gillian_M]

Seen December 28, 2008:

217. Cooper's Hawk

It's been a great year, with some great birds. I'm looking forward to doing this again in 2009!!!